(ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif.) Alameda County is now being investigated by the state's Department of Housing and Community Development for potentially violating state law regarding surplus land.
Alameda County has less than 60 days to provide the state with proof that followed the state's Surplus Land Act, according to a letter published by The San Francisco Chronicle.
That legislation expands existing state legislation regarding surplus lands. According to the law, publicly owned surplus land must be considered for affordable housing before it can be sold or leased.
In a letter sent to Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi on Aug. 19, the state's Department of Housing and Community Development stated that it had no record of that the county declared the area "surplus land or "exempt surplus land."
Furthermore, the letter said that the state had no proof that the county followed notification protocol leading up to the proposed sale.
The county must now provide proof that it followed the law leading up to and during the sale by Oct. 18. At this point, it's unclear what financial or civil penalities the county could incur if found in violation.
In November of 2019, the city of Oakland filed a lawsuit again the county seeking an injunction to stop the sale of the coliseum.
That suit was based on what the city saw as violations of the Surplus Land Act similar to the recent violation claims from the state.
Andrew Sabey, an attorney for the county, disputed that claim noting that the Surplus Land Act is just one option for the sale or lease of public land.
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